Judy

The Birth of America’s First Cosmpolitan City - Brilliantly Told

Revisado: 04-25-25

What a wonderful, thrilling story. With feeling, care and clarity Russell Shorto unspools the events that shaped New York as British and Dutch interests merged in the late 1600’s and shaped the beginnings of New York. While celebrating the achievements of the early settlers, Shorto also explains the desperate pain and suffering of Black slaves and native peoples. There is much to discover here.

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Great writing. Poor reading.

Revisado: 12-30-23

Zadie Smith is a great writer.
She is not a great narrator.
Audio book narration is a medium unto itself. Literary authors are rarely the best audio narrators.
The best narrators play the role of the author, not the character in a novel.
The difference is subtle but important for listeners/consumers of audio.
Audible should know this.
After 20 chapters, I decided to read and not listen to this book.

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Great subject. Mediocre storytelling

Revisado: 04-28-23

I’m glad I read this book but was also happy to finish it. Some anecdotes are rich while others beg for more explanation and depth. Often his generalities about London miss the mark and overall Peter Ackroyd tried to jam too much in. As a work of storytelling it is disappointing. But London’s history and development are utterly fascinating. The author I think bit off more than he could chew. The narration is quite good, but not first-rate.

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Fascinating, moving and way too long

Revisado: 01-14-23

I was very much looking forward to reading this book. Fiona Hill’s appearance during the first Trump impeachment hearings was impressive. Accounts of her remarkable rise from humble beginnings in one of the most deprived regions in the UK were moving. But for all of its strengths this book is often repetitive and too long. There are too many lists of complaints. Some of her prose is whiny and wooden. The author reads the book. I much enjoyed her Durham accent, but her tone and delivery lacked warmth, nuance and humor. While her personal story provides valuable perspective and insights, many of Fiona Hill’s policy prescriptions are an oft-repeated litany of liberal demands for much more government spending.

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More Simon, Less Gladwell: Flawed telling of a remarkable, beautiful story.

Revisado: 12-27-21

First the positives: Paul Simon is a gift to all of us. He’s a poet who has performed a soundtrack for our lives. The interviews and Simon’s honesty here are moving and insightful. It’s quite wonderful to learn the stories behind his great songs and Simon’s own curiosity, wonder and restlessness. Malcolm Gladwell says Simon’s songs and thinking are “an attempt to soften the harshness of the world.”

This work is well worth listening to, but it is not an audiobook, despite the marketing advantages to using such a label. This is a produced series of audio interviews along with narration by Gladwell that ranges from trite and overwrought to quite lovely and profound.

I would have preferred more Simon and less Gladwell. Even the artwork for this “book” is wrong: A black and white photo of Paul Simon behind the big letters of a headline: “Miracle and Wonder”.

Hopefully, the unedited tapes of the conversations will be released one day— without produced music under the great man’s most pleasant voice.

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So Much More Than a Thriller: A Very Fine Novel

Revisado: 03-29-20

John le Carré continues to write extraordinary well-told novels about the world of spying. But this sharp, clearly defined story is also about the foibles of human nature. The author reads the book, and his performance is superb. This latest book is set in London as the UK struggles to define its diminished role in the era of Brexit.

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Simply glorious

Revisado: 03-09-17

Superb narration by Timothy West who perfectly embodies humor, good heart and wisdom about the fundamental nature of human behavior

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Splendid book. So-so narrator

Revisado: 02-02-17

This is a powerful book. With warmth, honesty and clarity, David Brooks makes the case for humility over pride - the eulogy life as opposed to the resume life. Sadly, the narrator was not the right choice for this book. He did play the role of author. The author has a twinkle in his eye, a spring to his step. I didn't hear that in the narration.

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Marvelous reading of a painful, beautiful book

Revisado: 08-28-16

I'm glad I listened to, rather than read this book. The reading by Dominic Hoffman is a work of art. His voice captures the spirit, pain and soul of the writing. Thank you for reading it to me.

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Flash Boys: A Great Book. OK Narration

Revisado: 05-25-14

Michael Lewis has done it again. When I heard him say "the stock market is rigged", I was skeptical. Thanks to his book I changed my mind. The story is compelling with some very well drawn characters. But I was disappointed by the narration. Perhaps the publisher should have used a journalist to read this book… not an actor. There was too much emphasis on too many words! The narrator should not shout. He is speaking to me in my headphones and is not on a stage.

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